Arkansas Books

beautiful works ranging in topics. my copy is only three years old and already worn almost completely out from so many readings.

A wonderfull book of an endcredible person who overcame tremendous obstacles to live with the challenges of being a tramatic quadrapalegic.I forgot he was handicaped because he was so full of life as I also looked after him for two and a half years through college. So my opinion is biased but true. We miss you carl.

It's somewhat surprising, given the tremendous number of jazz biographies published in the last thirty years or so, that is it took so long for a definitive tome about the life of one of the most popular jazz musicians of all time. There are, perhaps, many reasons why this is so. Firstly, Bru has always been a bit hard to categorize; "serious" jazz musicians have been known to eschew his music as too "pop," too hook-oriented; others (this book included) point to his background in classical music as evidence of an artist too singular to sit comfortably aside many of his contemporaries (stylistically, he borders more often on Ravel than, say, Miles Davis). Another reason why perhaps it took so long for this book to appear is that, as compared to many of his contemporaries in the West Coast Jazz scene, Bru's life was relatively tame; he didn't suffer from harrowing addictions, or spend time in prison. Brubeck's life was more that of a working musician and a family man. On the other hand, as this book clearly indicates, his life was anything but ordinary. Brubeck's Columbia recordings, featuring his trademark multiple-meter compositions, probably reached the ears of more Americans than any other jazz musician of his time. His frequent international travel brought him into contact with a wide range of musical styles and idioms, which he incorporated brilliantly into his music. Perhaps best of all, and a major focus of the latter part of this book, Bru raised a family of sons who have continued to build on his legacy, while forging jazz voices of their own. "It's About Time" chronicles the height of Bru's popularity in the 50's and 60's, follows through with his experimental forays into classical music in the 70's, and generally presents a well-rounded portrait of an artist who reflected the optimism of his generation. It features a much-appreciated - and comprehensive - discography of Bru's recordings, and a reasonable amount of analysis of Bru's artistry. If there's anything I'd have liked more of, it would be more discussion of Brubeck's artistic process, and a more in-depth analysis of his compositions. Perhaps that's the next book that needs to be written. I would recommend this book very highly to fans of Dave Brubeck. To those less familiar with his work, I'd say, buy a copy of "Time Out," "Time Further Out," and "Time in Outer Space" first - then, read the book.

John Barleycorn Must Die: The War Against Drink In Arkansas by Ben Johnson III (Associate Professor of History, Southern Arkansas University) begins with the early attempts to keep alcohol from the Native Americans during Arkansas' colonial period. Then temperance groups focused on outlawing alcohol in the antebellum communities of Arkansas. After the Civil War new federal taxes on whiskey production in Arkansas led to violence between revenue agents and moonshiners. The state joined the growing national movement against saloons the culminated in 1915 when the legislature approved a measure to health the sale, manufacture, and distribution of alcohol (which prohibition included the then thriving wine industry in Arkansas). The state supported national prohibition, but the people became disillusioned with the widespread violations of the law. But the state waited to repeal its own prohibition law until compelled to do so by a fiscal crisis in 1935 that required it to raise revenue. Even then, the new law only authorized retail liquor stores, and not the return of taverns or bars. A final effort to restore prohibition in 1950 was rebuffed by voters, but there are still 43 counties in Arkansas remain dry, and only 32 are wet -- with disputes over the granting of private club licenses continuing to be a lively social and political concern throughout the state. Enhanced with 50 photographs and an index, John Barleycorn Must Die is a work of considerable scholarship and an impressive contribution to both American History and Arkansas State History library reference collections.

Cifelli's biography of Ciardi is a carefully wrought story of an illustrious life in poetry that should interest anyone who reads or studies American literature. John Ciardi was an interesting man who had to buck the ethnic prejudices of his time. The adventures of his life in poetry are well worth reading. Edward Cifelli is an skilled writer of this poet's life and he has done an excellent job of weeding out the truth and balancing his portrayal so that we love Ciardi, even while we see his human foibles. He creates emapthy for his subject without going overboard, so that his words are thoroughly believable and offer a measured truth of the man and his fine accomplishements.An excellent portrait of the poet's times, too, and the issues that confront a poet in America!

Johnny May lives in the hills of Arkansas. You'll enjoy her story and her countrified talk. She's got courtin' problems, "girl problems," and her older sister wants to marry Mr. Berry, the meanest-lookin' man she's ever saw--and she won't allow it. Read and laugh about how she connives to fix ol' Mr. Berry.

[ASIN:1587365219 submitted by the author of A Non-Workbook, Non-Textbook Approach to Teaching Language Arts: Grades 4 Through 8 and Up]

As a fairly new postcard collector and a lifelong resident of southwest Arkansas, I found this book to be an excellent pictorial history of the first half of 1900 along Highway 67. I recommend this book not only to postcard collectors but the public that lived and traveled this stretch of highway. Wonderful narration of the postcards and historical bits of information.

Ms. Beeman's work is sometimes hard to access but rewards the diligent reader with many flashes of genius. This work is a departure from her ventures into poetry and might surprise those who know her only from her poems. Truly insightful.

I brougth this book for my Mother as a Mother' Day gift. We knew the people is this book and lived by them as I was growing up. My Mother really has enjoyed the book.

What a gifted writer. And what a kind and generous man, besides. Do yourself a favor and look into this stuff.